Prospective study of the association between abandoned dwellings and testosterone level on the development of behaviors leading to cannabis use disorder in boys.
BACKGROUND
The role of testosterone in the development of behaviors presaging cannabis use and subsequently cannabis use disorder was investigated in a prospective study of 208 boys. It was theorized that adverse neighborhood correlates with testosterone level that in turn potentiates behaviors predisposing to cannabis consumption and subsequently diagnosis of cannabis use disorder.


METHODS
Proportion of boarded-up dwellings in the 1990 census tract and testosterone level were recorded at baseline (ages 10-12), followed by assessments of assaultiveness and testosterone level (ages 12-14), social dominance/norm-violating behavior (SDNVB) (age 16), cannabis use (age 19), and cannabis use disorder (age 22).


RESULTS
Percent of vacant dwellings correlates with testosterone level that in turn predicts assaultive behavior sequentially leading to SDNVB, cannabis use, and cannabis use disorder. Externalizing behaviors and cannabis use disorder are not directly predicted by neighborhood quality.


CONCLUSIONS
Elevated testosterone level intermediates the association between neighborhood adversity and aggressive socially deviant behaviors presaging cannabis use and cannabis use disorder.
Tarter
Ralph E
RE
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Center for Education and Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, School of Pharmacy, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA. tarter@pitt.edu
Kirisci
Levent
L
Gavaler
Judith S
JS
Reynolds
Maureen
M
Kirillova
Galina
G
Clark
Duncan B
DB
Wu
Jionglin
J
Moss
Howard B
HB
Vanyukov
Michael
M
D000293:Adolescent; D041923:Adolescent Development / Q000502:physiology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D055030:Drug Users / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000097:blood / Q000523:psychology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D008960:Models, Psychological; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012930:Social Dominance; D012931:Social Environment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*; D014754:Violence; D035862:Vulnerable Populations / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
D013739:Testosterone